By Prashalan Govender
A Private War is based on the true story of legendary journalist Marie Colvin, bolstered by the work of Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades Of Grey), and Oscar-nominated documentary director Matthew Heineman the film is undeniably one of this years’ best films. The film follows Colvin’s career-defining moments: her interview with Gaddafi, her coverage of the Sri Lankan conflict which left her without sight in her left eye and her fatal trip to Syria where she covered the siege of Homs.
As previously mentioned, the performances in this film are first-rate. Pike’s performance is unsettlingly potent as she depicts the intricacy and brilliance of the late foreign affairs correspondent, exploring some of the most tumultuous moments in Colvin’s life from her PTSD to her marital problems with emotion and vulnerability. Pike had already set a high standard for herself with her Oscar-nominated performance in Gone Girl but in A Private War Pike doesn’t just meet the standards- she surpasses them. Pike masterfully adopted a long island accent for the role and then learnt and practiced all of Colvin’s mannerisms to such a great extent that she became physically affected by the role- “I shrunk a centimeter and a half playing Marie because she carries her shoulders in a completely different way,” Pike said to The Hollywood Reporter when asked about the process of getting into character. Considering this diligent work on and off camera it’s no surprise that this film scored Pike her second Golden Globe nomination for this role, she had previously been nominated for Gone Girl.
However, Pike is not the only one with a stellar performance in the film, Dornan holds his own as one of Colvin’s closest allies. One may even argue that his performance is just as impactful as Pikes even though he’s in a supporting role. This is because going into the movie audiences and critics alike were expecting a great performance from Pike but Dornan, on the other hand, has not yet had a chance to prove himself as a serious actor given the fact that his claim to fame is from one of the most badly-received franchises of the past decade, the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise. Dornan seems to know that he has to prove himself because he comes out of this film as a revelation. His performance as photojournalist Paul Conroy (a partner in profession and friend in life to Marie) is insightful, tender, and deeply moving. Thankfully, the artistry doesn’t end with the acting.
Heineman, the director, had previously covered war as a documentarian and brings his knowledge of depicting the grim details of war into his first narrative feature as a director. Heineman’s documentarian instincts significantly helps Pike and Dornan in their respective roles as he knows about controlling dialogue to further a narrative. Furthermore, Heineman knows how vital it is to talk to witnesses thus he hired real Iraqi and Syrian refugees as extras for the unearthing of the mass grave and for the final act when a Syrian woman tells Pike as Colvin how badly she wants her story heard. Pike said that the employment of real refugees for those scenes “changed the energy on set” as much of their performance came from memories of their war-torn countries instead of the script.A Private War is not just a movie told in retrospect, it’s a relevant omage to Mari Colvin and a reminder of the atrocities that dictatorship and war bring. The film is a must-see for those who want a movie that is both enlightening and entertaining.
Diversity Times 